[blykins]

All of your side seals should be full width. It varies from block to block though, on how the side seals fit. Sometimes they drop in with room to spare.....sometimes you need to shave material off the side seals to get them to fit.

I use Felpro BS30138 seals for all my FE's. Crank seal halves go in lubed, side seals go in slathered in sealant, shoved down, then nails driven in beside of them. I'll use a punch or nail set to drive the nails/side seals down into the block, until they are down below the surface of the cap.